Nitros Can’t Make Shots

It’s one thing to have a poor shooting quarter, or a half. It’s quite another to go practically dry over three quarters, which the Glendale High girls’ basketball team did against visiting Pasadena, losing a 38-28 decision in the Pacific League opener last Tuesday night.

To begin, the Nitros nailed four of 11 shots in the first quarter, and took a 12-7 lead into the second quarter.

“The trap was working for us,’’ said Glendale head coach Tania Adary. “We know who their [Pasadena] shooters are. We were doing OK until Nina [Sahakian], the only tall player we have went to the bench because of foul trouble.”

Glendale (9-4 and 0-1 in league) resembled an outfit shooting blindfolded, sinking three of 34 attempts over the final three quarters, and finished seven of 45 for 15.6 percent.

Pasadena (10-4 and 1-0 in league) was hardly brilliant, making 13 of 33 from the floor (39.4 percent).

Ashley Maberry (six points) scored the first basket of the second quarter for the Bulldogs, and when Maberry drained a three-pointer with 3:20 left, tied it at 16-16.

Glendale senior guard Serah Mirzaeian scored two of her 10 points in the second quarter, but the Nitros failed on six of seven shots, and fell behind, 19-16, at the half.

“At one point, we just settled for shots,’’ Adary said. “You can’t do that. You have to get good shots, and we didn’t.”

It only snowballed for Glendale, which was riding a six-game winning streak. In the third quarter, the Nitros missed their first 13 shots from the field before senior guard Stella Ghazarian (game-best 15 points) drilled a three-pointer.

It was equally bad in the fourth quarter, as Glendale’s horrific shooting continued, making one of 13, with Mirzaeian converting the only basket. Mirzaeian was fouled on the play, and knocked down the free throw.

Pasadena was effective in the third quarter, making five of 11, with Danielle Johnson tallying six of her team-best 11 points.

Johnson’s hoop with 4:05 left gave the Bulldogs a 23-18 lead, and Charise Turner (five points) scored with 2:45 showing to make it 25-18.

Turner’s basket made it 27-18 with 1:40 left, and the ‘Dogs led, 29-21, heading into the fourth.

“We always start off slow,’’ said first-year Pasadena head coach Wesley Stewart. “It’s early, but we think we’re contenders. This is a strong league.”

The Bulldogs’ height advantage, especially in the front court, gave them a 38-26, rebounding edge, and the vast majority of their points came from point-blank range.

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The Tolucan Times is a free weekly community newspaper, published since 1937 and available online. With over 600 drop locations throughout the San Fernando and San Gabriel Valleys from Encino to Pasadena, The Tolucan Times serves the communities of Glendale, Flintridge La Canada, Burbank, North Hollywood, Toluca Lake, Studio City, Sherman Oaks, and Van Nuys, to list a few.